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A total of 97% of schools identified in 2018 for the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) programme have been provided with safe and appropriate sanitation facilities as of July, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Department of Basic Education has advised that, as of 1 July 2025, out of the total 3 372 schools identified for intervention through the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative, a total of 3,254 schools (97%) had been provided with safe and appropriate sanitation facilities,\u201d Gwarube said.<\/span><\/p>\n She was responding to IFP MP Siphosethu Ngcobo when he asked about the progress made in eradicating pit latrines at public schools in each province since the launch of the SAFE initiative in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n Gwarube\u2019s responses showed that the breakdown of schools in the Eastern Cape was 1,361, KwaZulu-Natal 1,329, Limpopo 447, Mpumalanga 103, and the Free State 14.<\/span><\/p>\n The minister said 73 of the remaining 118 pit toilet projects, identified under the SAFE initiative, were planned for completion in the 2025\/26 financial year.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe balance of 45 remaining pit toilet projects, identified under the SAFE initiative, were initially delayed due to funding constraints from certain donor partners. They have since been reallocated to performing implementing agents and are earmarked for completion in the current financial year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Gwarube also said the Department of Basic Education remained committed to ensuring that all pit latrines identified through the SAFE initiative were eradicated and replaced. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFurthermore, the Department of Basic Education remains committed to ensuring that all pit latrines not identified under the SAFE initiative are identified and replaced by provincial Education Departments as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOur goal is to provide safe, age-appropriate, and dignified sanitation facilities that create an enabling learning environment where every learner can focus on their education,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n Gwarube added that R5.5 billion spent in the School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant (SIBG) has been audited since the inception of the SAFE initiative.<\/span><\/p>\n Her response showed that the Eastern Cape expenditure totalled R3.4 billion, KwaZulu-Natal R1.5 billion, and Limpopo R498 million.<\/span><\/p>\n The Free State and Mpumalanga showed no expenditure on the SIGBG because they have been entirely funded by the Provincial Education Infrastructure Grant or funded through donor funding.<\/span><\/p>\n Gwarube said the department remained resolute in its commitment to eliminating all unsafe sanitation infrastructure at public schools across the country.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhile 97% of the sanitation projects identified under the SAFE initiative have already been completed, the remaining projects are receiving focused attention to ensure completion within the 2025\/26 financial year.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe Department of Basic Education acknowledges the challenges that have caused delays in certain cases, including funding shortfalls and donor constraints, but has since reallocated such projects to performing Implementing Agents.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A total of 97% of schools identified in 2018 for the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) programme have been provided with safe and appropriate sanitation facilities as of July, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said. \u201cThe Department of Basic Education has advised that, as of 1 July 2025, out of the total 3 372 schools […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":250222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[16381,7072,377,2171,7526,8949],"class_list":["post-250221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-politics","tag-equipped","tag-sanitation","tag-school","tag-schools","tag-significant","tag-strides"],"yoast_head":"\n